Who: Sam Houston St Bearkats (5-3) (Colors: Orange and Blue)
When: Saturday, December 13th - 6:00pm
Where: PMAC (13,215, 45th NCAA)
How:
***TV: SECN
***Radio: 98.1FM
***Stream: SECN via ESPN3.com

After a nine day break for finals, the Tigers will eagerly take the floor against Sam Houston State. The Tigers recently completed their best week of basketball of the Johnny Jones tenure after defeating UMASS at home by 22 and winning at #16 West Virginia in LSU's first road victory over a ranked opponent since 2005. The Bearkats come to the PMAC off a 19 point victory over Texas Pan Am and a very close loss at Texas A&M that took a last second shot for the Aggies to get the win.

The biggest difference between these two squads has to be the way they use their rotation. LSU's top five players each play over 30 minutes a game with no one else averaging over 14 minutes a game. The Bearkats only have one player averaging over 30 minutes and nine players averaging over 13 minutes. LSU has 5 players averaging 11.9 points per game or better. Sam Houston St has no one averaging that many points. Nine of those players average over 6 points per game.

SHSU Projected Starting Lineup:
Kaheem Ransom (6'1" 180 Sr) 11.3PPG, 4.4 APG, 5.3 RPG, 92%FT
Paul Baxter (6'1" 200 Jr) 7PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2APG
Jabari Peters (6'4" 180 Sr) 7.1PPG, 5RPG, 2.9APG, 77%FT
Marcus Burwell (6'5" 205 Jr) 3.1PPG, 3.9RPG
Michael Holyfield (6'11" 270 Sr) 8.3PPG, 7RPG

LSU Projected Starting Lineup:
Josh Gray (6'1" 182 Jr) 12PPG, 4.9APG, 3.4RPG, 47%3pt
Keith Hornsby (6'4" 210 Jr) 12.3PPG, 5.3RPG, 2.4APG, 35%3pt
Jarell Martin (6'10" 236 So) 16.1PPG, 9.4RPG, 78%FT
Jordan Mickey (6'8" 235 So) 15.6PPG, 9.4RPG, 2.3APG, 2.1BPG
John Odo (6'10" 245 Sr) 3PPG, 1.5RPG, 64%FG

Sam Houston St has shot 78.1% from the free throw line this season, good enough for 10th best nationally. They have also been a good rebounding team, despite their small size. LSU should be able to take advantage of a height advantage with Martin and Mickey each matched up against smaller defenders. Still, Sam Houston St is a scrappy team that can keep it close till the end.

If you want to look at how LSU has turned around after a poor showing in the Virgin Islands to looking like the second or third best team in the SEC, you have to start with the emergence of Tim Quarterman. Quarterman averaged 18 points and 6.5 rebounds over the past two games. While his offense has been good, his defense has been great. He wrecks havoc.

LSU needs to fight to get the ball inside, especially from the wing and PF positions. Jarell Martin got to the free throw line 11 times against West Virginia and that is a winning combination for the Tigers. Sam Houston St should try to get to the free throw line as well. Using a 10 man rotation should keep them fresh and if they can out hustle the Tigers, they have a good shot at the upset.

Prediction:

LSU 76, Sam Houston St 59

Filed Under: LSU Basketball